Bellows-like fluid dispenser

ABSTRACT

A readily collapsible viscous fluid dispenser is constructed in the general shape of a bellows to maximize the amount of fluid that can be stored while being kept small enough for one hand applied pressure dispensing. Rigid members are positioned on opposite sides of the readily collapsible bellows shaped viscous fluid enclosure. The rigid members are pivotably secured on either side of the discharge or the discharge end of the dispenser that can store and dispense different fluids by providing independent containers side by side with independent closures for each.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] 1. Field of the Invention

[0002] Viscous fluid is dispensed by applying force to rigid members oneither side of a bellows shaped collapsible fluid container.

[0003] 2. Description of Related Art

[0004] It is common in the art to provide a collapsible container with adischarge opening at one end and a closure seam at the other end fordispensing viscous fluids. These containers generally consist ofuniformly shaped tubes. These shapes limit the amount of viscous fluidthat can be contained in a given length of tube. Although satisfactoryfor most applications, there are times that it is desired to have moreviscous fluid within a given or limited length container and dispense itwithout the need to manually run the finger and thumb along the tube todischarge residual viscous fluid.

[0005] Pressure applying assists are known. U.S. Pat. No. 1,654,549,issued Jan. 3, 1928 to J. Mohun, discloses a collapsible tube squeezerfor squeezing material from the tube. The squeezer has a central openingand extends on either side of the tube for the application pressure.U.S. Pat. No. 5,699,935, issued Dec. 23, 1997 to R. Stahley, is anexample of a dispenser for co-dispensing a plurality of fluids. U.S.Pat. No. 2,936,932, issued May 17, 1960 to R. Whisler, discloses aflexible container that has thickened side areas that act as pressuretabs to dispense pastes or lotions that discharge from between thethickened sides. U.S. Pat. No. 3,986,640, issued Oct. 19, 1976 to S.Redmond, discloses a relatively rigid base having a flexible covercontaining a flowable material. By cutting and/or bending the relativelyrigid base inwardly with the flexible cover and flowable materialin-between, pressing on the rigid base members dispenses the flowablematerial from the container. U.S. Pat. No. 5,188,256, issued Feb. 23,1993 to J. Nottingham et al, discloses an apparatus for dispensingmaterials. A relatively rigid cover has an opening, for receiving theoutlet of a dispenser, with side members bent to extend adjacent thesides of the dispenser. Plural materials in the dispenser are subjectedto microwaves to convert one of the materials from a high viscosity to alow viscosity for ease of dispensing.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0006] A viscous fluid dispenser has a collapsible viscous materialcontainer in the general shape of a bellows for storing the fluid.Opposite sides of the dispenser are provided with rigid members forapplying pressure onto the collapsible bellows like container. The rigidmembers are spaced from and pivoted on either side of the dispenserdischarge opening. The collapsible container can be partitioned to storemore than one viscous fluid with more than one discharge opening.

[0007] Unlike the air bellows, the present dispenser can employ varioustype single and dual closures that can be stationary or pivoted on aself-supporting, simplified disposable or reusable structure needingonly one hand inward pressure for discharging viscous fluid sealedwithin the dispenser during non-use in one or more compartments.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0008]FIG. 1 is a side elevational view of the dispenser.

[0009]FIG. 2 is a side elevational view depicting a dual fluiddispenser.

[0010] FIGS. 3-5 show partial top end views of the dispenser of FIG. 1with alternate closures.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0011] The dispenser of the invention consists of a bellows-likecollapsible container placed between rigid side members used to applypressure on the collapsible container.

[0012] As seen in FIG. 1 the dispenser 1 has a collapsible containerportion 2, in the general shape of a bellows having a wider outer endand plural triangular shaped sections that provide for an increasedstorage volume, with relatively rigid side members 3. The rigid sidemembers inner ends at the narrow inner end 9 of the container arepivotably hinged 4 to a dispenser head 5 that discharges fluid and cansealingly close the container using a pivoted closure 6. By pivoting theclosure 7, to aline the passage within the dispenser head with thepassage in the closure, the fluid within the collapsible container canbe dispensed. Pressing the rigid side members outer ends 8 togethercollapses the collapsible container 2 to press fluid within thecollapsible container through the passage in the dispenser head andpivoted closure.

[0013] It is often desirable to provide for several different fluids fordifferent or joint use. As examples, some adhesives must be mixed at thetime of use, different colors can be blended together for visualpurposes, and different ingredients can be provided for such as catsupand mustard, and different color and flavored confections can bedispensed alternately or simultaneously.

[0014]FIG. 2 is a dispenser 10 similar to that shown in FIG. 1. Inaddition to the single collapsible container 2, rigid side members 3,pivot hinges 4, head 5 and closure 6, FIG. 2 provides for more than onefluid. The dispenser has one first collapsible container 11 separatedfrom a second collapsible container 12 by a diaphragm depictedexternally by the heavy line 19. Separation of the containers intocompartments provides for storing more than one fluid. As with thedispenser 1, fluid from one or both of the collapsible containers 11, 12can be dispensed by pressing on the outer ends 18 of the rigid sidemember 13 to pivot the rigid side members about the pivots 14 to applypressure on the fluid within the collapsible containers 11, 12. Byrotating 24, 25 the arcuate surface area of the closure 16, 17, thepassages 22, 23 in the dispenser head 15 can be blocked or alined withthe discharge passage 20, 21 in the closure. Alinement of the passages22 and 23 in the dispenser head 15 with the discharge passages 20 and 21in both of the arcuate dispenser closures 16 and 17 and pressing on therigid side members 13 results in the simultaneous discharge from bothcontainers 11, 12. Alinement of only two passages 20, 22 and pressing inrigid side members 13 results in discharge only from container 11.Alinement of only two passages 21, 23 and pressing on rigid side members13 results in discharge only from container 12.

[0015] FIGS. 3-5 are examples of optionally usable closures that can beused with the dispensers 1 and 10. FIG. 3 shows a push-pull, open andclose type dispenser closure 30 with a horizontally pivotable spout.FIG. 4 shows a threaded cap type closure 31. FIG. 5 shows a verticallypivoted cap type closure 32.

[0016] It is believed that the construction, operation and advantages ofthis invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art. It is to beunderstood that the present disclosure is illustrative only and thatchanges, variations, substitutions, modifications and equivalents willbe readily apparent to one skilled in the art and that such may be madewithout departing from the spirit of the invention as defined by thefollowing claims.

1. A viscous fluid dispenser comprising: a bellows-shaped collapsiblecontainer for the viscous fluid; relatively rigid side members onopposing sides of said bellows-shaped collapsible container; a dispenserhead for said bellows-shaped collapsible container at its narrow innerend; said relatively rigid side members being pivotally secured to saiddispenser head; a passage through said dispenser head, for dischargingthe viscous fluid, located between said relatively rigid side members insaid dispenser head; a closure means for blocking and unblocking saidpassage through said dispenser head.
 2. A viscous fluid dispenser as inclaim 1 wherein: said closure has a passage that can be alined with saidpassage through said dispenser head for discharging the viscous fluid;3. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 2 wherein: said closureincludes an arcuate surface that can be rotated to aline said dispenserhead passage with said closure passage and to block said dispenser headpassage.
 4. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: saidbellows-shaped collapsible container is separated into independent firstand second compartments for storage of different fluids.
 5. A viscousfluid dispenser as in claim 4 wherein: said dispenser head is providedwith first and second independent closure means for said independentcompartments.
 6. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 5 wherein: saiddispenser head is provided with a first passage and a second passage;said first closure means has a passage and said second closure means hasa passage for independent alinement with said dispenser head firstpassage and said dispenser head second passage respectively.
 7. Aviscous fluid dispenser as in claim 5 wherein: said first closure meansand said second closure means both have an arcuate surface that can berotated to block said dispenser first passage and said dispenser secondpassage respectively and that can be rotated to aline said first closuremeans passage with said dispenser first passage and said second closuremeans passage with said dispenser second passage respectively.
 8. Aviscous fluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said first closure meansblocking said first dispenser head passage and said second closure meanspassage alined with said second head passage permits dispensing of thesecond fluid from said second storage compartment but precludesdispensing the first fluid from said first storage compartment.
 9. Aviscous fluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said second closure meansblocking said second dispenser head passage and said first closure meanspassage alined with said first head passage permits dispensing of thefirst fluid from said first storage compartment but precludes dispensingof the second fluid from said second storage compartment.
 10. A viscousfluid dispenser as in claim 6 wherein: said first closure means alinedwith said dispenser first passage and said second closure means alinedwith said dispenser second passage permits dispensing from said firststorage compartment and said second storage compartment simultaneously.11. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: said closure meansis of the push-pull type with a horizontally pivoted spout fordischarge.
 12. A viscous fluid dispenser as in claim 1 wherein: saidclosure means is of the threaded cap type.
 13. A viscous fluid dispenseras in claim 1 wherein: said closure means is of the vertically pivotedcap type.